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AUTUMN TERM 2021

November 2021

Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman
Book Review by Matt Goodsell

Noughts And Crosses by Malorie Blackman is a very interesting book indeed, set in an alternate reality in which africans colonised Europe rather than the other way round. In this narrative, the crosses (black people) dominate the subservient noughts (white people) in a very powerful commentary on race and racism in the UK. The world Blackman describes so starkly and horrifyingly is one of apartheid. The narrative of the novel centres on the relationship between two young people in this dystopia: Sephy, a Cross, and Callum, a Nought. The book is written in the first person; but the narrative switches back and fourth, chapter by chapter, between the two characters, so they appear to take it in turns to tell the story. This creates quite a fascinating interchanging of perspective. These young people are clearly in love, yet the world they find their selves in is so split, so fractured, that it is difficult to see how their love can survive.

The British Library competition: Create a superhero comic strip.
The competition has opened (11 October) and the deadline is 30 November. There are lots of ideas on the page! Click on the link below:

What makes your hero super? – The British Library (bl.uk)

Home Learning Resources:
Online Book Resources
Online Book Resources For PMLD And ASD Sensory

The Book of Hopes was put together in the first lockdown and shared for free online before being available to buy in print, they took it off site last term but have made it freely available again during this lockdown. It includes new short stories, poems, illustrations, and extracts from existing books (my favourite bit is Catherine Johnson’s poem on page 6): literacytrust.org.uk/family-zone/9-12/book-hopes

Caroline recommends: Library Book list.pdf

The National Literacy Trust

The National Literacy Trust have launched the Virtual School Library  wordsforlife.org.uk/virtual-school-library with a different guest author or illustrator every week, a chance to read one of their books for free (sometimes an audio version) and download related activities.

Online Museums 

National museum of the American Indian: americanindian.si.edu/online-resources/exhibition-websites

storytelling online with librarian at screen
Girl at desk with a device

Free Online resources

 

Recommended reads

Storytimes Online

This term classes Aldgate, Green Park, Piccadilly, St James Park, and Baker Street all have TEAMS storytimes with me:

Monday:
9.45 Aldgate
10.15 Baker Street
12.15 St James Park
12.30 Green Park

Wednesday:

10.10 Baker Street
12.15 St James Park
1.45 Piccadilly

Friday:

10.00 Aldgate
12.15 St James Park

The World Factbook

 

There are loads of really up to date facts and figures, and brilliant photographs, for anyone interested in finding out more about any country! The World Factbook – The World Factbook (cia.gov)

Books for Topics

 

Text © Books for Topics

With access to libraries, classrooms and bookshops limited for many,  we’ve been busy finding some of the best online storytimes for children to access freely at home. The QR codes and links in the document link to story readings on Youtube and all of the books we’ve chosen are read aloud by their fabulous authors and illustrators.

Link: www.booksfortopics.com

Sombre book cover with a dark outer circle and sad looking European child with sun in the background

Caroline recommends

A Shelter for Sadness by Anne Booth and David Litchfield is a beautiful picture book for all ages, exploring the nature of sadness.

Teenage brown girlwith a big afroin a mystical setting wearing contemporary clothing

Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston is first in an epic middle grade supernatural adventure series, soon to be a major movie starring Marsai Martin. Perfect for fans of Percy Jackson, Nevermoor and Men in Black! Amari Peters knows three things: Her big brother Quinton has gone missing. No one will talk about it. His mysterious job holds the secret. So when Amari gets an invitation to the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, she’s certain this is her chance to find Quinton. But first she has to get her head around the new world of the Bureau, where mermaids, aliens and magicians are real, and her roommate is a weredragon.

Storytelling and Resources

Caroline our librarian recommends some fantastic website for families to enjoy while their children are home learning or at school.

 

Reading Black Lives Matter

  • Zoe Tillotson, our English Advisory Teacher has compiled a reading list with titles that can be found in our library. Please remember to contact Caroline for any books as the library is no entry at the moment.

Over the last few months there has been significant media coverage of the Black Lives Matter campaign. This is a good time then, for those of us in education to reflect on our practice and ask ourselves how we can promote genuine inclusion, equality and be pro-actively anti-racist. One area that always demands scrutiny is the curriculum. What is absent and excluded sends a strong message. To that end, the English team at CPA have been creating a new English Curriculum and making sure it includes positive and diverse representations of young Black people by contemporary writers. Some of the books we have chosen to include are listed below. I hope you’ll be as excited as we are by the choices we’ve made.

Download reading list here: Black Lives Matter

 

Recommended Websites

Oxford Owl eBook library (phonics books) home.oxfordowl.co.uk/books/free-ebooks

The World Book Day website has lots of readings of books for a range of ages and interests www.worldbookday.com

BookTrust Hometime has new stuff added regularly www.booktrust.org.uk/books-and-reading/have-some-fun/open-the-hometime-cupboard

 

 

Phonics games:

 

 

Creative writing:

Authorfy masterclasses: authorfy.com/masterclasses

 

 

 

 

PODCASTS: This is a great selection of podcasts, aimed at Pathways 1 and 2 students, focusing on COVID-19 but they have different themed sets: slj.com

STORYTELLING

Tiny Owls: An independent, global publisher of beautiful multicultural picture books for EVERYONE! New videos every Friday. Tiny Owl stories: www.youtube.com/channel

Michael Rosen: Visit Michael Rosen’s websites for storytelling videos.
‘Here you will be able to read about me, my books and what I’m doing.’ – Michael Rosen
www.michaelrosen.co.uk/videos

Text © Lantana Publishing
Tomorrow: In this storytime video, Nadine Kaadan reads her book Tomorrow (2018), a moving and uplifting story about a little boy named Yazan wishing he could go outside and play. Nadine wrote this story to express what she saw happening around her in Damascus. But now we feel that children from all over the world may be feeling the same way as Yazan, forced to stay home during lockdown and longing to see their friends and even go back to school.
Link: Tomorrow | Youtube

Text © Oliver Jeffers
For all you folks stuck at home in the coming weeks due to COVID, I will be reading one of my books every weekday, and talking about some of the things that went into making it. We are all at home, but none of us are alone. Let’s be bored together. Watch LIVE on Oliver’s instagram (@oliverjeffers) at 7 PM GMT/ 2 PM EST.  Link: www.oliverjeffers.com/abookaday

One Chapter a Day: Author and illustrator Tom Percival reading Attack of the Heebie Jeebies, one chapter a day. Link: www.youtube.com

Nosy Crow: While so many of us around the world are currently at home and staying inside with young children, we want to help – so we’ve put together lots of activities, resources, free Nosy Crow books and other content which we hope will help keep your families happy.

Resources to download link: nosycrow.com/free-resources

DRAW ALONGS

Sarah McIntyre: Silly sharks galore! Learn how to draw your own shark with the writer and illustrator of There’s a Shark in the Bath, and sing along with the shark song! Find more book-related activities at jabberworks.co.uk/theres-a-shark-in-the-bath. Link: www.youtube.com/channel

Rob Biddulph:  Rob is an internationally bestselling and multi award-winning children’s author and illustrator. He is also the official World Book Day Illustrator for 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Link: www.youtube.com/channel

Book Trust: Lots of lovely interactive books to read online or watch with signing
Link: www.booktrust.org.uk

Oxford owls: Loads of activities on Oxford Owls (including phonics books)
Link: home.oxfordowl.co.uk/school-closure-resources